Clarke, who took over from England boss Roy Hodgson in the summer, has taken to his first managerial job like a duck to water.

The former Chelsea and Liverpool No 2 is not a flamboyant character.

His brief fist pump towards the Albion fans at the final whistle was as demonstrative as he gets.

But Clarke's gesture was an indication of the significance of this performance and a result that keeps his team firmly in fifth place, following their best-ever start to a Premier League campaign. Wigan boss Roberto Martinez, buoyant after two successive wins for the first time this season, had warned that Albion would present a big test.

And although Wigan started well, dominating for most of the first half-hour, Albion slowly asserted themselves.

Two first-half goals, the first from James Morrison then an own goal by Wigan skipper Gary Caldwell, complemented a display full of steel as well as style, one which earned them their first away win.

Heading home: Morrison (centre) climbs to nod West Brom in front

Clarke said: 'I have waited a long
time for my chance at management and I must say it's been really good.
The players have done everything I have asked of them and they've made
it a pleasure for me.

'But I'm not getting carried away. I
remember as a player once being top of the league in November and
fighting for our lives at the end of the season. This is a league that
has the habit of coming back to bite you.'

Heads we win: Morrison leaves Ali Al Habsi with no chance

Here, it was Albion who did the
biting, Morrison racing on to Chris Brunt's cross to head past Al-Habsi,
who had already made a tremendous double save from Romelu Lukaku.

Al-Habsi was equally powerless to
prevent the second goal, Caldwell deflecting Billy Jones's cross-cumshot
after the defender had skipped past Ben Watson inside the box.

Catch me if you can: Wigan's James McCarhty closes on Romelu Lukaku (left)

Arouna Kone hit back quickly, turning in Jean Beausejour's low cross at the far post to lift the mood at the DW Stadium.

But, as Martinez conceded, Wigan never looked like achieving a third straight win.

'It was a scrappy performance and we weren't as good as we can be,' he said.

'We wanted to win so much today -
but we did not expect to go two goals down. The priority is to score
first. We had the right attitude and a good, attacking threat but our
movement was not as sharp as it should be. Those two goals gave them a
real cushion.'